Politico and Huffington Dredge for Dirt with Rick Perry Gay Rumors

A story by Politico predicts that if Texas governor Rick Perry runs for president, he will again have to deal with unproven rumors that he’s gay. Meanwhile, the story itself is helping spread the rumors once more.

The Drudge Report linked to the speculation with the headline “Media Digs Up Rumors.” On the more liberal side of the political spectrum, The Huffington Post wrote up a story about the “Rick Perry Gay Rumors.”

Politico reports that “the crusted-over rumors were in the ether among some attendees at a dinner hosted last week by the Manhattan County GOP, where Perry gave the keynote speech.” And it reminds readers that Perry was once backed into doing an interview with an Austin newspaper specifically to rebut the notion in 2004.

“As you may know, Rick and Anita Perry first met in grade school, went on their first date together in 1966, have been lovingly married since 1982 and are parents to two grown children,” according to Dave Carney, a Perry strategist quoted by Politico in defense of the governor’s marriage.